PHOENIX (Friday, May 18, 2012) -- Today’s arrest of multiple suspects in a huge heroin-related drug bust in Chandler shows the problem of illicit drugs has pervaded all areas of the Valley, Attorney General Tom Horne said today. Horne’s office is the prosecuting agency in this matter, and Horne is vowing a vigorous effort against all the suspects in this major case.

"The distribution of heroin and other drugs is one of the lowest forms of crime there is," said Horne. "This illicit trade breeds violence, tears apart families and neighborhoods, and rips at the fabric of society by destroying lives. We must vigorously pursue drug traffickers at every level, prosecute them and put them behind bars."

The Chandler Police Department today announced the arrests following a joint investigation with the Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Prosecutors from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office have been closely working with these agencies since the initial stages of the investigation to ensure a thorough prosecution.

"I also want to thank the law enforcement professionals from all the cooperating agencies who worked diligently to develop this case and arrest the suspects," Horne added. "These people have dedicated their lives to getting drugs off the streets and they work in a very dangerous environment. They deserve the thanks of all Arizonans."